The other night I was not able to get a LOC-D approach because the runway that is aligned with the localizer was closed and not lighted. However, there is no straight in minimum, only circling.

I queried the approach controller if I could fly the LOC-D and circle to another runway that was lit. He said he couldn't give me that since the runway was closed, and the controller worked us to the airport for the visual, which worked fine. But on the LOC-D, the MDA leaves you very high, so there is no straight in approach, and the missed approach point is directly over the airport when time expires.

What are the rules for this? It took me by surprise.

In this case, the weather cooperated and I could land on the other runway, but if the runway is closed (for painting, in this case), there should also be another NOTAM that the procedure is NA.

I may not be following exactly what you are saying but a LOC-D is not a straight in approach. Which would explain is why there are no straight in mins Any "lettered" approach (VOR-A, NDB-B, etc.) is a circling approach. Back to your story: it sounds like runway "A" was closed and unlit, you requested runway "B" which was lit but the controller told you that runway was closed and you ended up doing the visual to runway "C"? If there was no runway "C" and you did the visual to runway "B" then is sounds like the controller misunderstood your request and/or the LOC-D was not available for one reason or another.

I may not be following exactly what you are saying but a LOC-D is not a straight in approach. Which would explain is why there are no straight in mins Any "lettered" approach (VOR-A, NDB-B, etc.) is a circling approach. Back to your story: it sounds like runway "A" was closed and unlit, you requested runway "B" which was lit but the controller told you that runway was closed and you ended up doing the visual to runway "C"? If there was no runway "C" and you did the visual to runway "B" then is sounds like the controller misunderstood your request and/or the LOC-D was not available for one reason or another.

Thanks for the prompt reply. That's exactly my point. No straight in mins for a LOC-D approach.

The localizer in the LOC-D is aligned with runway 27, which was closed and unlit. Why could I not fly the approach and circle to land on runway 36, like I asked? If I could not fly the approach, why was there no NOTAM for procedure NA?

The LOC-D is a LOC-D because of terrain NE of the airport, so there is no straight in. The MDA is high for that reason.

there was a ruling from FAA HQ a few years back that prohibited ATC from clearing aircraft for an approach to a closed rwy. in your case i think ATC misinterpreted the rule. if the approach was a "LOC RWY 27" with RWY 27 closed they would be correct due to this approach is to a specific RWY, but the approach you state "LOC-D" even though it was aligned with RWY 27 is an approach to the AIRPORT and not a specific RWY just like a VOR-A or NDB-B that have circle mins only.